|
| East Side Story | 
 enlarge | Director: Carlos Portugal
Actor: Rene Alvarado; Cory Schneider; Steve Callahan; Gladise Jimenez
Studio: WOLFE VIDEO
Category: DVD
List Price: $24.95
Buy New: $15.92
You Save: $9.03 (36%)
New (33) Used (10) from $14.35
Avg. Customer Rating:  23 reviews
Sales Rank: 14545
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Dvd-video, Ntsc, Widescreen
Languages: English (Original Language), Spanish (Original Language)
Rating: Unrated
Number Of Items: 1
Running Time: 88
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
MPN: WOL4515D
UPC: 754703762979
EAN: 0754703762979
ASIN: B000WDVNMO
Theatrical Release Date: 2006
Release Date: December 4, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: BRAND NEW AND FACTORY SEALED
|
| Similar Items:
|
| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
Set in East LA EAST SIDE STORY is the story of Diego a young man working at his family's restaurant and having an affair with a secretly gay real estate agent. As the relationship heats up and the Latino neighborhood becomes more and more gentrified everything changes for Diego and his family.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: COMEDY/ROMANTIC COMEDY UPC: 754703762979 Manufacturer No: WOL4515D
Amazon.com
Handsome restaurateur Diego (Rene Alvarado, Fall to Grace) thinks he has the perfect boyfriend--until Pablo (David Beron, Honor Thy Father and Mother: The True Story of the Menendez Murders) makes it clear he's not coming out of the closet, in case it might threaten his real estate business. Of course, Diego himself isn't out at work--until his flighty aunt Blanca (Gladys Jimenez, Tremors: The Series) casually reveals this to the homophobic staff. Heartbroken and alienated at work, Diego gets distracted when Wesley (Steve Callahan, Nine Lives) and Jonathan (Cory Schneider, The M.O. of M.I.), two hunky guys who are apparently allergic to shirts, move in next door. But as sparks start to fly with Wesley, Jonathan attempts to use racial strife as a tool against Diego. For a low-budget gay romance, East Side Story has broad ambitions, juxtaposing racism and homophobia without getting too heavy-handed with either. The script and the acting are a little wooden, but sincere warmth, flippant humor, unapologetic directness about its characters' lives, and a lot of well-muscled bodies give this movie its appeal. Irene DeBari, as Diego's grandmother, provides a lot of the movie's heart. --Bret Fetzer
|
| Customer Reviews: Read 18 more reviews...
 Enjoyable film November 4, 2007
23 out of 23 found this review helpful
Well done gay film that touches upon such universal themes as homophobia, racism, family, and of course, love. Well directed and acted, the film follows a Latino's crash course in love in the gay world. A slight of hand drama heavily punctuated with humour, I found this to be a very enjoyable, and for the most part, realistic portrayal of life, love, and gay culture. Recommended.
A Classy New Coming Out Film with Emphasis on the East LA Community December 13, 2007
23 out of 27 found this review helpful
Fresh young talent and a healthy dollop of enthusiasm serve as the springboard of this well written (Carlos Portugal and Charo Toledo), well directed (Carlos Portugal) and well acted exuberant story of those once perceived tightly closet doors of the East Los Angeles Hispanic community. Not that this is the first film to engage the topic of being gay in East LA - QUINCEANERA is another superb film on the subject - but it addresses so many other aspects of family and social life happening now that it deserves a wide audience. With a cast of newcomers coupled with some very fine veterans of the screen EAST SIDE STORY comes to life in a highly entertaining fashion.
Closeted schooled chef Diego Campos (a fine debut by Rene Alvarado) works as a waiter in his grandmother Sara's (elegant Irene DeBari) little Mexican restaurant where grumpy homophobic chef Don Rogelio (Luis Accinelli) presides in the kitchen. Diego dreams of opening his own restaurant but family ties keep him grounded. Diego's campy Aunt Bianca (Gladise Jimenez) returns from Monaco on one of her many expensive sojourns to find a man and changes begin to happen. Diego's equally closeted boyfriend Pablo Morales (David Beron) has been refusing to settle down in a relationship with Diego, claiming that the union is a 'passing fancy'. When Bianca enters, Pablo's attentions turn to the sexy lady and Diego is brokenhearted.
Into this melange enters a white gay couple who buy a 'flip' house across the street, a signal to the neighborhood that gentrification is just around the corner. The couple - Wesley (Steve Callahan) and Jonathan (Cory Schneider) - meet the morose Diego and a match strikes between Diego and Wesley. Jonathan is assigned all the lines having to do with prejudice and is the one who wants out of the neighborhood as soon as their house is enhanced and their gay friends begin to visit. The white couple move apart and Wesley and Diego begin a courtship dance that is encouraged by Diego's family. How Diego handles his loss of Pablo to his Aunt Bianca and copes with the possibility of being open with Wesley forms the story line. It is all the hilarious and not so hilarious sidebars that share the space of the 'outing' that make the film so personal and successful.
Carlos Portugal is clearly a talent to watch, as are his attractive and talented cast members. EAST SIDE STORY is a fine companion piece to QUINCEANERA and should enjoy the same degree of popularity for all the same reasons! Grady Harp, December 07
 Romantic and funny! November 8, 2007
20 out of 22 found this review helpful
I just saw this last night with an audience and everyone loved it. There was a lot of laughter as well as involvement with the fun cast of characters. This film is a lot of fun and avoids so many cliches seen in gay movies, Latino movies and romantic comedies. The cast is flawless and really knows how to deliver the humor without making it seem "jokey." I had a great time seeing this film.
Well made gay movie!!!!!!!!!!! December 5, 2007
7 out of 7 found this review helpful
Just watched this movie with my partner of 11 years and we both loved it!. This is the kind of gay movie that need to be made. Good story,acting and plenty of messages to think over. It brought back many feelings from my own life coming out.
Refreshingly original and funny romantic comedy for all! December 17, 2007
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
In "East Side Story" (2006), Diego is a culinary school graduate who feels trapped working in his family's old-school Mexican restaurant in the East Los Angeles bario. Diego is also gay, but closeted from his family, and dating the even further closeted Pablo, a status-seeking realtor. When Diego is inadvertently "outed" by his aunt, Pablo decides he has to avoid him, and begins dating the aunt, pronouncing his secret affair with Diego as "just a phase." Meanwhile, Diego meets a gringo couple who moved in across the street, among the many gays who settled in the area to "turn it around", angering many of the current Latino residents. One half of the couple, Wesley, takes an immediate liking to Diego, which sets his partner, Jonathan, into a jealous hissy-fit. Diego's grandmother returns from a month-long trip to Mexico, to find her restaurant being boycotted by homophobic locals, while her daughter is making wedding plans with her grandson's former male lover!
It is a refreshing and highly amusing romantic comedy, presented by a talented cast of mostly newcomers. With a pollished look that belies its relative low budget, it's a noteworthy first-time writer/director credit for Carlos Portugal, one that received audience awards at several gay movie festivals. It is sexy without being overt, funny without being cartoonish or stereotypical, and the emotions portrayed can be related to by anyone, gay or straight. The DVD extras include deleted scenes, director and actor commentaries. Don't miss this one: five joyful stars out of five!
|
|
|
Powered by Associate-O-Matic
| |
